Last wills and testaments must not be taken lightly. Whether setting up and drafting a will for yourself or dealing with a last will and testament left by a deceased loved one, you must be familiar with the legal process mandated by estate law.

Estate planning law can be broad, but a hands-on estate attorney can help discuss legal documents vis-a-vis your specific circumstances and preferences.

Creating a will is essentially creating a legal document. As such, expert legal help is necessary before proceeding. Specifically, a trusted estate planning attorney can help you given the following situations:

You are planning to create a will but you can foresee that your heirs and beneficiaries might clash when you die

If an heir or a beneficiary will likely be contesting your will when you pass away, contact an experienced estate plan lawyer who can carefully assist you as you make a will. Estate planning and distributing your personal property to your surviving spouse, children, or even grandchildren is not as simple as it sounds. Do not write a will that would likely be contested, since contesting a will can spell trouble for your surviving spouse and family members when you die.

If you find yourself in probate court or would like to know about the probate code

Writing a will without the help of an expert on wills and probate law is not a good idea. The probate process (and not being able to make decisions as intended) is stressful for the loved ones you will leave behind. As such, be extra careful to avoid probate as much as possible. Avoiding probate and dealing with complications is a lot less difficult with a lawyer specializing in wills and estate planning documents.

A relative (of whom you are a beneficiary) was able to inherit even after death

If you found out that a deceased family member, who chose to designate you as one of the beneficiaries in his or her last will and testament, was able to ‘inherit’, contact a wills and estates lawyer who can help you get whatever part is rightfully yours. Transferring property is not as simple as it seems. Taking into account provisions on designation, one can distribute assets of the estate of a deceased person to another estate. The estate assets of your great-grandmother, for instance, could still become part of the inheritance of your grandmother, even if both of them had passed away for years already. This is one of the many reasons why creating a will should be taken seriously.

For any clarifications or questions on estate planning, preparing a will, probate, succession, or power of attorney, give us a call. Contact us at Dodds Law Firm for assistance. Call (623) 544-2980 now!